PCG: 'No leaks, oil contained' in MTKR Terranova siphoning

Some 300 liters of industrial fuel have been removed from sunken motor tanker Terranova off Limay in Bataan, with no leaks and minimal oiling effectively contained, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported Wednesday.

The contracted salvor on Tuesday started the initial siphoning of MTKR Terranova, which was carrying 1.4 million liters of oil when it sank, as a test before proceeding to a full-scale siphoning.

"The safe working pressure during siphoning was maintained at a maximum of 0.15 bar," PCG Bataan Station commander Lieutenant Commander Michael John Encina said in a statement.

"Approximately 300 liters of oil were transferred to a tank to test the equipment, with no leaks observed and minimal oiling effectively contained using one length of boom," he added.

Encina said additional equipment is expected to facilitate the next phase of oil transfer operations this Wednesday.

According to the PCG, the siphoning of one of the eight tanks of MT Terranova started Wednesday.

On July 25, one crew member died and 16 others were rescued after MTKR Terranova capsized and sank 3.6 nautical miles east off Lamao Point in Limay, according to the PCG.

Initially, the PCG said only 300,000 of the 1.4 million liters of oil need to be siphoned to float the motor tanker. But now, Encina said all of the 1.4 million liters of oil would be removed to lessen the effect in case of a "worst case scenario."

"May mga in-adopt lang tayo to ensure na 'yung maximum risk assessment natin is applied para lessen lang po 'yung magiging effect if there will be worst case scenario. So ang gusto natin dito is tanggalin lahat ng mga contaminants," he said.

(We have adopted some measures to ensure that our maximum risk assessment is applied so that the effect will be lessened if there would be a worst-case scenario. So. we want to remove all contaminants.)

"For that matter, 'yung sa kukunin muna 'yung 300,000 liters, there is a high risk po kasi na magkaroon ng problema along the course of afloating the vessel. So the more contaminants present inside the water tanker where the conduct of salvage operation, the higher the risk," he added.

(For that matter, the previous plan to take the 300,000 liters first, there is a high risk because there will be a problem along the course of afloating the vessel. So the more contaminants present inside the motor tanker during the salvage operation, the higher the risk.)

Bataan has been placed under a state of calamity due to the oil spill from MTKR Terranova, the sunken MTKR Jason Bradley, and the grounded MT Mirola 1.

In Cavite, a state of calamity has been declared in at least eight towns.

The Office of Civil Defense said 352,179 people in coastal barangays in Cavite have been affected by the oil spill that has reached their shores, with lost income amounting to nearly P18 million each day. — VDV, GMA Integrated News